Macbook a Good Work Machine?

[XLcomm]

Does anyone use their Macbook as their primary work machine? Or is the MBP the better selection for this purpose?

By "work" can mean different things. I am referring to office work mostly. Word docs, presentations etc. Probably some light 2d graphic work once in a while as well.

And in my office I would use the MB mostly with external monitors but need some portability.

I am wondering if the Macbook is best suited as a secondary or very light use machine or if it can handle the role of a primary machine.

 

[TaKashMoney]

The Macbook will be plenty fast to handle all of those processes. I use it as my primary editing station for HD video with Final Cut Pro, if that tells you anything.

If you want a larger screen, then just use all the money you save to buy a great monitor for double the size!

 

[heatmiser]

I am wondering if the Macbook is best suited as a secondary or very light use machine or if it can handle the role of a primary machine.

The only performance-based difference between the MB and the MBP is the graphics card. Everything else is either in ports or in aesthetics. Don't get bamboozled by the "pro" tag. They use the same processors to do the same work--the difference is in the graphics card.

 

[jemeinc]

I use my Macbook as my primary computer for my business- well, that and my 1.25 GHZ eMac.. It runs Quickbooks Pro for all of the financial stuff (invoicing, lists, reports, etc.)and Office or Pages for the presentations, product lists, marketing and sales materials..

Works fine for me- has for a long time. At least the eMac has anyway.. I've recently added the macbook, but it's MUCH more powerful than the eMac so handling it won't be a problem.. I plan on getting an external monitor for it and basically retiring the eMac- or at least slowing it down in it's old age.. She's been a work horse for me since the day the 1.25 GHZ model came out..

 

[airjuggernaut]

I'm a student, and I use my MB as my primary machine.
Heck I GAME on my MB, so I'm pretty sure the Macbook would suite your needs amazingly.

 

[fewture]

My macbook is totally a primary machine. Editing all types of documents (usually I have around 20 open), with multiple instances of web surfing/email/music, plus on top of that I do a lot of heavy music creation (using logic and ableton live).
On top of that i have a virtual Windows XP running! though not all the time, as I am slowly switching from Xp to OSX - I am glad to be getting out of windows.

Basically with a 2.4 Penryn and if you put in a lot of 3rd party Ram (I have 4gb), you have a very good machine. Put in a 7200rpm harddrive, and you can do anything which isn't 3D graphically intensive.

Get yourself a big monitor (Like a 22") and you are sweet. Its like a powerful desktop

You have to understand that besides the bigger screen and the graphics card, there is basically no difference between the MB and MBP besides some extra ports and backlit keyboard

So you will have the same power as a MBP

 

[mosx]

I'm a student, and I use my MB as my primary machine.
Heck I GAME on my MB, so I'm pretty sure the Macbook would suite your needs amazingly.

Gaming on the MacBook? You must mean Bejeweled and Peggle The X3100 and GMA 950 perform equally bad and are only good if you're satisfied with Half-Life 2 at the absolute lowest settings choking out not even 30fps.

But to the original poster, the MacBook is basically perfect for what you need. It's small, light, can do everything the pro can unless you want to play games or have good video quality under Windows.

 

[zainjetha]

EXCELLENT WORKHORSE

For my work i use the the new top-range 250GB black macbook. 120gb of this is taken up by XP which i only run on this machine which has my VPN to office connection, with exchange mail profile, all my work documents, and is domain-joined with my user account locally cached and syncs when i log on in the office. When in the office i hook this upto an office-provided desktop monitor, KB/mouse. I declined their standard-issue Dell and purchased the black MB and is my own property. It handles all office tasks perfectly and is an excellent workhorse, considering it is left on all day from 7 till 7 plus i do work with it in the evening. This is a totally work machine on the XP side, however on the Leopard side i sync my iTunes library with MBP, Photos etc..
I use it for video editing and does quite well. Its a truly great workhorse. I also leave it on at night downloading off BitTorrent at home in Leopard so its a very good workhorse....



I use a MacBook Pro as my desktop machine with a 30'' HD Cinema Display, KB, Mouse, hooked up to a 1TB external. I use this for hardcore gaming, iTunes, CD/DVD ripping, MSN messenger, web surfing, email etc etc. This stays hooked up to my Cinema Display, KB/Mouse, Logitech speakers, printer/scanner and never moves.. Its a desktop..

 

[Jayhawk85]

Macbook is my primary work computer

My presentations in Keynote blow away all of my colleagues PowerPoint slideshows, no question about it. Keynote alone makes the Mac a better work machine, but throw in Numbers and MS Office '08, and there's no reason at all not to get a Mac for work. Our IT guy also gave me a copy of XP to install in BootCamp and gave me a VPN connection to the office servers. When I'm on the road I'll boot into XP, get my new stuff off the server, then switch back to the Mac to work on it. You can't beat it.

They gave me a Dell desktop, but most days I bring my Macbook. If only I had a big monitor to use with it on my desk, it'd be perfect.

 

[GeneKam]

i use mine as my primary machine, i use it for next to everything. I love the size and portability and everything else about it, but the GPU, it could be better then intel x3100, but otherwise i love it. Het an external hardrive to keep all the junk on and you are god to go.

 

[Crow47]

Yeah, I'm basically using my macbook now for everything that isn't gaming. I am simply AMAZED at how fast the 2.2ghz core 2 is. It seems as fast if not faster than my pc with a 3ghz amd dual core in it (I know the amd IS faster but I really can't tell). For all sorts of office tasks it is amazingly fast. The only thing I would recommend is getting another gig of ram if you only have one. I think you will be more than satisfied with it's performance.

 

[airjuggernaut]

Gaming on the MacBook? You must mean Bejeweled and Peggle The X3100 and GMA 950 perform equally bad and are only good if you're satisfied with Half-Life 2 at the absolute lowest settings choking out not even 30fps.

But to the original poster, the MacBook is basically perfect for what you need. It's small, light, can do everything the pro can unless you want to play games or have good video quality under Windows.

No actually. I'm getting a stable 30 fps in games likes CS and HL2, with everything on high, but low rez.
Hey I didn't say the MB is gaming rig, but it sure as hell can run a few games. '

 

[SFStateStudent]

You tell him "airjuggernaut"...

No actually. I'm getting a stable 30 fps in games likes CS and HL2, with everything on high, but low rez.
Hey I didn't say the MB is gaming rig, but it sure as hell can run a few games. '

my boy does his gaming on the MB as well, and doesn't miss a beat!

 

[leekohler]

I just got a BlackBook after having an iBook G4 for my secondary work machine for several years. Yes, absolutely a MacBook can handle the tasks you describe.

 

[TravisReynolds]

I have a macbook and I use it for everything. Even video editing and photo editing. Works like a charm

so I am sure yours would be fine

 

[macintoshSL]

Yea, im getting a new penryn macbook and so far all i've heard is great reviews on it.

 

[TygerMac]

I am a college student and I only use my MacBook! I love it! I just got it 1 week today!! I use it for web surfing/chat/music/movies/programming/word processing/presentations/etc. It can do it all! I opted for the MacBook instead of the Pro because I really don't do any computer gaming anymore, bye bye WoW, I have a Xbox 360 to do that! I love this machine!